This invention relates to a residential U.S. mail receptacle and more particularly to a mail receptacle in the form of a pouch or sack which is adapted to be retained, within a residence or building, adjacent a mail chute slot in an outer wall or door of the building or residence to receive and retain mail which has been passed through the slot.
The United States Postal Service, which is a USA Government Agency, is charged with the responsibility of delivering correspondence and other printed or written materials referred to as mail, between persons who reside in different geographical locations in the U.S.A. Typically a message is written or imprinted on a rectangular sheet of paper which is folded flat and placed in a wrapper ususally comprising a flat strip of paper which is flat folded over on itself in a rectangular manner with one edge of the rectangle being open like a slit so that the folded message may be inserted in the slit to be retained in the folded rectangle which is referred to as an envelope. The slit opening is appropriately closed, for example, by sealing a strip of paper thereover usually being an extension of one of the sides of the folded rectangle. Payment of a fee to the U.S. Postal Service for delivery of the message is placed on an outside surface of the envelope in the form of a small pertinent mark or stamp as an indicia of the authority of the U.S. Postal Service and/or payment of the required fee.
It is a practice in many parts of the U.S.A. that a wall panel or entry door of a building is provided with a narrow rectangular slot aperture therethrough. If the proposed recipient of the noted mail resides in the building or residence, a representative of the U.S. Postal Service inserts the envelope through the slot so that the resident may retrieve the envelope from inside the building. What has been described may be referred to as a slot delivery method which has a number of proven advantages, particularly to the aged and infirm resident who may recover their mail within their home thus precluding the necessity of having to leave the home, particularly in inclement weather to obtain their mail.
Along with the advantages there have been several disadvantages. For example, the mail introduced through the slot usually falls to the floor of a residence and, depending on the height of the slot from the floor, envelopes may be scattered about on the floor of the residence. Small rectangular parallel-piped packages may also be inserted in the mentioned slot. These packages may contain shock sensitive items which could then break when the package strikes the floor where the package could rupture and scatter its contents on the floor of the residence. Moreover, unless the slot is adequately covered in cold climates, a significant amount of cold air may enter or be driven through the slot and cool the interior of the residence to an undesirable level. In most instances the mail chute or slot includes a pivoting slot cover on the outside of the residence which is raised to insert mail into the slot and when lowered covers the slot to prevent the entry of rain, cold and dust laden air. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to attempt to insert excessive amount of mail into the slot or larger pieces of mail such as small packages. This practice results in the mail becoming wedged in the slot and partially protruding from the slot to retain the slot cover member or lid in an open or partially open manner and exposing the interior of the residence to outside climatic conditions.